TUSCALOOSA, Alabama -- AJ McCarron has yet to receive an official invitation to January's Senior Bowl in his home town Mobile, but it's an event ESPN NFL Draft expert Mel Kiper Jr. says the Alabama quarterback should have circled on his calendar.

Though a number of the quarterbacks anticipated to be selected early in the 2014 NFL Draft won't be seniors, McCarron is in a crowded group of graduating players projected to go on the draft's second or third day. At this point, the separation among them is minimal enough for a week in Mobile to make all the difference.

"That week of practice is going to be big for him," Kiper Jr. said Thursday on a conference call with reporters. "You need to show that kind of arm strength and that kind of
ability you need to ascend. You need to show that you’re above and
beyond just being a great college quarterback."

Invitations to the Senior Bowl will trickle out over the next two months. The game is set for Jan. 25, 2014, at Ladd-Peebles Stadium.

In past week, @seniorbowl has sent approx 70 invitations for 110 roster spots in the game. More to go out by end of November. #toughchoices

Kiper Jr. said there's a possibility McCarron can be drafted as high as the second round. Among the players eligible to participate in the Senior Bowl who currently have similar draft projections as McCarron are Fresno State's Derek Carr, LSU's Zach Mettenberger, Clemson's Tajh Boyd and Georgia's Aaron Murray.

All four of the quarterbacks currently listed on Kiper Jr.'s "Big Board" -- which ranks players based on their overall talent and how it will translate to
the NFL, not the needs and wants of particular teams -- have the option to return to their respective programs for at least one more year. That group is led by Louisville's Teddy Bridgewater (4) and also includes Oregon's Marcus Mariota (5), Texas A&M's Johnny Manziel (12) and UCLA's Brett Hundley (21).Florida State's EJ Manuel benefited most from his performance at last year's Senior Bowl, as he was the only quarterback selected in first round. Second-round pick Geno Smith, who was initially projected as a top selection, declined an invitation to the game.

All but one of the six quarterbacks invited to last year's Senior Bowl were selected by the end of the fourth round. Miami (Ohio)'s Zac Dysert went in the seventh.

"The senior bowl is going to be big for AJ as it will be for the other
quarterbacks that go down for the Senior Bowl," Kiper Jr. said. "Phil Savage does a great
job picking those players."